


Kiss of the Sea

by Viderian



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Abusive Parent, Drama, F/F, Fantasy, Sailor/Mermaid AU, Strong Language, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 13:59:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16265654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Viderian/pseuds/Viderian
Summary: Jaina Proudmoore is a bright young girl living in a small village on the sea with her mother. When Daelin arrives at their door one night warning of an approaching storm, it is brushed off as a desperate plea to see his daughter. But something just doesn’t seem quite right to Jaina as the days go by.





	Kiss of the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> This is planned to be a very, very slowburn fanfiction. Rating may or may not change as it goes on, we’ll see how it goes. Updates will be weekly hopefully. Thanks for reading!

Salty air and the cool breeze, it was what Jaina had missed the most. The way it blew harshly during the day, tickling her rosy cheeks and sweeping through her hair, only to kiss her goodnight. Whether walking on the beach barefoot to feel the soft sand or collecting seashells for jewelry later, the salty air was always there to greet her. And then when all was silent on the ocean, the water would gleam under the moonlight as if they were the happy tears from the fabled merfolk. She’d come home to help with chores or make supper smelling of the ocean, blonde hair dusted by salt and sand. Of course she didn’t mind, it was what she loved about it; what she missed. 

She would wait by the door every day waiting for when her father, Daelin Proudmoore, would return from his voyage. She lived quite a walk away from the shore, worrying her mother sick whenever she’d go there on her own. But she was ten years of age now, surely old enough to fend for herself. Once Daelin came home she’d listen with excitement to his incredible stories of the ocean and what lies out there. Sea serpents, massive fish that could swallow a man whole, sharks with a million teeth, even ghosts! But what intrigued her the most was the fabled merfolk. It was said that if you saw one, it’d grant you three wishes then seal the deal with a romantic kiss.

Jaina loved every story he’d come home with. She’d babble on about it to her mother, Katherine, who’d simply murmur a “mhmm, that’s nice dear, go set the table” in reply. 

“Do you think he’ll be home soon, mama?” Jaina would ask nearly every night at the dinner table. 

“I’m sure he will. Eat your dinner, Jaina.”

She’d never been on a boat before, but one day she would be a sailor, the greatest one there ever was. Just imagine it. Coming home every week with a new story of an adventure on the ocean filled with monsters and creepy crawlies? She’d make friends with those evil beasts and make them good beasts who’d be good friends to everyone in the village.

As she slurped at another spoonful of soup, a knock was heard at the door. She and her mother looked towards it, then to each other. Katherine gestured for Jaina to stay put then walked briskly over to the door. When she was sure her mother wouldn’t notice, she stood up, careful not to scrape the worn wooden floor with her chair leg, and listened quietly for any noise. 

She heard the door slowly creak open, an exchange of ‘hello’s and then some rushed words. It was hard to see who her mother was talking to, but they seemed to be of her height. Clad in dark and voice gruff, they sounded like… a man? Could it be?

“I want to see her.” 

“Please, Daelin, she wouldn’t—“

“Where is my daughter?!” His voice was withered and strained as if he’d gone through hell and back.

A broomstick which had been leaning against the wall Jaina was clinging to fell and clattered obnoxiously, making her presence known at last. Katherine and the man at the door turned to look at her. 

“Oh! Jaina, come dear, let’s get you to bed.” Her mother was rushing towards her, motioning for the man to wait as she put her daughter to bed. But finally Jaina had seen who stood at the front door.

“Papa!” 

Daelin grinned under his dirty dark hat, eyes shining as he crouched and opened his arms to catch his running daughter in a warm hug. She squeezed him as hard as she could manage and took in the unmistakable smell of the ocean. He held her gently and petted her blonde hair so carefully, as if she’d disappear if he let go. “It’s so good to see you, Jai—“ 

But his words were cut off suddenly by a cough. The disgusting kind of wet hacking cough, one that tore at your lungs and scraped your throat raw. He quickly pulled away from her to cover his mouth and continue to hack into a grimy handkerchief. She worriedly watched him, clinging to his coat while her mother tried to pull her away gently. “Jaina, come on, it’s past your bedtime.”

“Are you okay, Papa? Are you sick? Papa?”

By the time he had collected himself she was being sent to her room. She didn’t want to disobey her mother, but why was her father sick and late to come home? The door was shut behind her. Jaina pressed herself against it, keeping her ear free of hair and listening closely through the keyhole. Muffled voices could be heard as her parents had moved to the kitchen. Katherine busied herself in cleaning up the dinner Jaina hadn’t even gotten to finish while Daelin explained himself to her. 

“Katherine. I know you must think I have no business being here, but I needed to warn you and Jaina. There was a storm. A massive one, like something we’d never seen. It ruined our supplies and tore at the ship and we’d barely made it out had the damned thing not held together so strong. But in the end, the only thing keeping us going was the family we had back home.”

“You had us worried sick, Daelin. I didn’t even think you’d come back after a week had passed!” Her voice lowered once she realized she was yelling, but the tears could still be heard. “Why did you go? You knew it would be dangerous. And how dare you come back to Jaina like this!”

A pause. Then her father sighed shakily. “We underestimated the strength of it.” Jaina could tell he was pinching his nose, like he always did when he was distressed. “We lost most of our men.” 

“Then why in the Light’s name are you back? To infect everyone in the village and kill us off? Think of your daughter, Daelin!” 

“You and Jaina were the only things on my mind during it all. We came back to warn everyone of this storm, of the dangers it will bring. This one will be far worse than what we went through, we saw the clouds, the birds and fish were rushing to get away. Not only that, but we saw something out there. A creature like ones in stories, it destroyed our boat as if assisting the storm in killing us.” 

A mermaid? Or perhaps a dragon? But why would it try to attack Daelin…

Jaina heard the sound of a plate dropping on the floor and breaking. The sound rang through the house. The crying was clear in Katherine’s voice now. She’d only heard her mother cry when things like this happened, when her daughter was in danger. 

“Get out.” 

“Katherine, if you would just let me explai—!” 

“You think I would let you stay here and get Jaina sick just because of that? For some made up excuse as to why you haven’t returned home for so long? You made it to the other land, but I don’t know what you did when you got there, and I don’t want to know.” 

“Dear! Just listen to me! You’re in grave danger!”

“Don’t come back until you are better. I just, it’s too much right now. I don’t want her going anywhere near the sea, and ending up like you. Leave her be.”

Tears poured out of Jaina’s eyes and covered her cheeks. She tried her best to keep her sniffling quiet. She sat with her back against the door, burying her head in her arms. How could her mother do this to her?! She was old enough to be on her own! She wouldn’t let her take him away!

...But she couldn’t disobey her mother. Her mother would scold her and forbid her from doing anything she liked, or even worse, hurt her. It wasn’t uncommon for children in her village to be beaten by their parents; she was one of the few who had half a mind to do as her parents said. She’d just have to deal with it, as horrible as it may be. 

It was quiet outside her room for moments that felt like centuries, then the unmistakable sound of Daelin shifting in his mucky boots. If she listened close enough she may hear her mother crying still. Then he, without another word, stepped out of the kitchen. The door creaked open, and gently shut once more. When Jaina realized that could've been the last she ever saw of her father, she wept. She didn’t care if her mother heard her or not, she didn’t care about anything anymore. 

Jaina wept there until she had no tears left to shed then sulkily made her way into bed, where she lay for hours staring at the decorations hanging above made by seashells. They moved with the wind feeding in through her open window, clinking together and soothing her with the gentle chiming noise. It soothed her into a dreamless slumber.

She woke much later than she would’ve liked with a pounding headache. She smelled breakfast being made outside, and as much as she wanted to eat, she feared her mother very much in that moment. It wasn’t her Katherine was upset about, it was her father; so why was she afraid?

Jaina opened the door as quietly as she could, but of course the accursed thing would creak with the power of a thousand creaky doors. Mother had her back to her, quietly working at making breakfast. She hoped she hadn’t noticed. Quickly she slid into the chair, noticing the table was already set. Odd, normally she’d be the one to set it. 

“You slept rather late this morning.” 

Oh. Jaina gulped. “I, I was up last night reading.”

“Reading what, might I ask.” Her tone was devoid of emotion and sent prickles down Jaina’s skin.

“F-fairytales, ab-bout mermaids…”

Whatever Katherine had in her hands was slammed down on the counter. She turned to look at the girl, who appeared very small where she was. “You will not read those disgusting books anymore. They taint your mind and fill you with ideas of going out into the sea and for what? To find those beasts? Or do you simply wish to die at the bottom of the ocean surrounded by fish?”

The outburst was nothing like Jaina would ever expect from her mother. She always looked down on her interests in being a sailor, but never yelled at her about it! “I just want to be like papa! It isn’t fair!”

Katherine scoffed cruelly. “Why couldn’t you just be a normal daughter, Jaina. Normal girls don’t act like this. You disobey your own poor, helpless mother in favor of your father?” She wanted Jaina to feel bad for her, and it was definitely working. 

“N-no! I wouldn’t do that to you! I love you!” Had jaina had any tears left, she would’ve cried right there as well. 

“I love you too, Jaina. I only want to protect you. Your father will no longer plague this family, you’re safe with me, my daughter.”

For the next few days, and the next few weeks, Jaina hadn’t seen any signs of her father. It was like he disappeared off the face of Azeroth and everyone forgot about him except for her. Still, she kept silent about it, lest she upset her mother. Katherine never once laid a finger on her daughter but it nothing to ease her. Had it not been for the fact she felt caged like a wild animal in her own home, she would’ve leapt into the sea to look for him. Then they’d reunite and live happily ever after. 

Only things didn’t seem to work that way. Everything’s seemed that way since her tenth birthday. 

Come on Jaina, we can do this. Just think, you stupid fool!

The skies were growing darker and the air was constantly humid. Her father warned of a storm approaching, but there hasn’t been one in the time he’s been gone. Odd… as if it was truly coming, but decided at the last minute it’d stay in the sky. He wasn’t one to make jokes, especially over something like that. It certainly did nothing to ease her, that’s for sure. With the tension between her and her mother, the last thing she needed now was some freakish weather. She’d have to bring it up eventually, there’s no way she could just let this sort of thing slide. 

She was studying at the dining table while Katherine was preparing dinner. She couldn’t focus at all, it just had to be said and over with. “What did he mean? By the storm?”

Her mother didn’t stop and kept her back to her. “He was just talking nonsense after he lost his mind from the sickness. Don’t think anything of it, honey.” Jaina pouted. That definitely wasn’t what she wanted to hear. 

“We haven’t seen the sun in weeks. Why’s that? And what made him so sick?”

“Common cold, who knows.” She didn’t address the weather issue. Again.

“Didn’t look like it to me.”

Then Katherine went silent. Jaina felt like she’d done nothing but go back to where her mother forced her weeks ago. Oh, she had had enough. 

“Why are you treating him like this? Why do you hate him all of a sudden?!”

She just looked at Jaina, her face unreadable at first. Sadness slowly pulled her features downward and wetness filled her eyes. “I don’t hate him, Jaina. He is a good man, a loving husband and father.” She walked over and placed a hand over Jaina’s and blinking her tears away. “Every day since we’d first met I worried about him, how he’d disappear for days or even weeks in the ocean. I don’t want to lose you to that as well. The ocean is a cruel place full of monsters and dangerous waters. Please, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I know. It won’t happen, I promise.” Jaina hated the idea of disappointing her mother, but she felt it in her future, that she’d one day live most of her days on a boat far away from here. Whether her mother liked it or not. 

Jaina began paying attention to when her mother would fall asleep. It was usually an hour after she was sent to bed, and then all was silent through the house. One night she decided it was time to go out and find him. She’d never know if he was still there with them, hiding in the village or gone again. For all she knew, he could have been on another planet. 

She fastened a warm coat over her night dress and slippers to muffle her footsteps. She couldn’t risk the old wooden front door creaking too loud, so opted to climbing out the window. Her house was silent and lonely as the night blanketed it in deep blue; the streets were much different. Jaina and her mother lived quite a walk from the square and tavern. The distant light of the lampposts around town and open windows of houses lit with oil lamps and campfires and lanterns stood out from the rest of the land like a nightlight. If her father was anywhere, it’d be a tavern or a boat. She wasn’t allowed in a tavern, so she’d have to figure out how to sneak in. 

But the boats were much closer. If she squinted she could see them perched on the shoreline and tied to the docks like a dog on a leash. They waited to go back out to sea. And there it was, a massive ship down at the harbor. Was that her father’s ship? Had he stayed?

A breeze blew through her dress and caused her to shiver and chatter. She clutched her arms together as she waited for it to subside, then began to walk through the muddied grass of the hillside. She didn’t care anymore that her slippers would be ruined, nor that she was getting mud on her nightgown. The ocean below was unusually noisy that night, waves crashing into the rocks and hissing and snarling at Jaina. She felt like she was being watched and a thousand creepy crawlies covered her from head to toe. She was sure to be caught and then her mother would lock her in her room with no dinner for a thousand years! Nevertheless, she went forward. Towards the harbor, towards the ship, towards her father. Hopefully. 

But she was stopped. Something flashed at her beyond the shoreline. Right smack in the middle of the azure abyss, like a lantern being lit to signal whoever was on the beach. She strained to see. It was a bright light, whatever it was, but so far away and impossible to see that she could only make out its color. Pure yellow. Yellower than the scorching Sun, hidden by dreary clouds these days, but as yellow as the honeybees she couldn’t wait to see in the Spring. Was someone flashing a light at her? Fear gripped her heart with strength not unlike a vice. Then it disappeared, and then the moonlight shown over the water in that spot, and she could see ripples around it. Someone was watching her… 

“Is someone out there?” she called without thinking. Her voice didn’t go very far, but the ripples jerked as if she was heard. “Are you okay?”

She skidded down the rocks clinging to the hill and onto the beach. Her dirty slippers sunk immediately in the sand, so she removed them and stuffed them in her jacket pocket. Jaina walked closer near the shoreline. 

The water where the mysterious light was still had ripples coming from it, like whatever it was was hiding under the surface. Swimming out at night like this was against the law. Though, to be fair, she wasn’t any better herself, wandering about at night like this. She was getting frustrated at this thing. “Show yourself! Or I’ll tell someone!” 

It all happened so fast that to this day Jaina couldn’t process what happened on that fateful night. The water was suddenly clear of ripples; they had gone back under. Just when Jaina was about to leave in disappointment, there was a furious splash and someone called to her from the rocks. 

“Stay with me.”

The voice was similar to another young girl, but this carried a strange accent like someone from a world that wasn’t her own. Sea green fins, that was what Jaina saw first. Then red. Bright red. It was the pointed crest poking over the rock. It was hard to believe what Jaina was seeing. She rubbed at her eyes in hopes of wiping away this image her mind had created for her, only to see the same thing when she stopped. There was that bright yellow from before; a pair of yellow-orange eyes blinking at the girl on the shore with three more eyes of the same color just below the crest. She wasn’t shaped like the merfolk in the fairytales Daelin used to read to Jaina before bed, she was more serpent-like with a human torso on top and… two sets of arms. 

Jaina’s first reaction was to run, run as far as she could and find help, or go home and cry to her mother and sleep in her bed for the night. But she didn’t. She only stared at the creature who was draped over the rock. Her spiny arms nonchalantly crossed in front of her, all four of them. Despite the otherworldly features, she looked young. Almost as young as Jaina. Jaina herself had just reached the age before she’d develope into a woman; had this girl been human, she’d look to be around fourteen. The dark blue tide splashed over her back and hugged her like a coat. 

“A… Are you real?”

A tiny smile pulled at her deep green lips. Water splashed behind her as if she was flicking her serpent tail in amusement. “Well that depends. Are you?” 

Jaina found herself padding in the sand towards her as if in a trance, the water covering her feet and soaking the hem of her dress, but she didn’t pay it any mind. “Are you a mermaid? My mama said mermaids aren’t real.”

“I am no mermaid, human. We are called naga, and we rule over the ocean. I will be queen one day.” 

Naga, that’s what they were. Not mermaids. But still, Jaina couldn’t wait to tell her father about this! She’d seen a real life merma—ahem, naga, in person! But her excitement was short lived when she remembered the reason she’d come out here in the first place. The naga seemed to notice her change in mood and cocked her head curiously, raising a long eyebrow inquisitively.

“You seem sad. I’ve never seen a human up close like this, you know. My people say you are dangerous and to never go near the surface, but you look more like a shrimp.”

Jaina frowned at the shrimp remark. “That wasn’t very nice. I heard mermaids were supposed to be nice and grant you three wishes!”

Despite being a serpent, she seemed so poised and elegant, the way she was draped over the rock so gracefully and her slitted yellow eyes were half open. “I’m curious about you, human. What do they call you?”

“Jaina. Jaina Proudmoore. Daughter of Daelin Proudmoore, a sailor.”

“Why don’t you get in the water and swim with me, Jaina? Can humans swim?” Jaina saw sharp teeth when she spoke.

She couldn’t possibly swim right now, someone would see and she’d be in so much trouble. Not only had she snuck out at night without her mother’s permission, but she was also on the beach. But this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, to see a naga in person and to be speaking with it. “My dress will get ruined.”

“You wouldn’t be friends with the future queen of the ocean? I promise I don’t bite.” Her laugh was odd, to say the least. Her voice alone wasn’t human and sounded like someone speaking through a strange filter to sound more intense. Probably to speak underwater. That laugh killed Jaina in the best way possible and caused a dusting of red along her cheeks. How strange that she could be so casual with a human unless she was leading her into a trap. But Jaina wasn’t thinking along those lines in that moment, she did want to spend all night talking to this beautiful creature she’d dreamed of meeting since she was very young and becoming friends sounded incredible. 

“I guess I could. But tell me your name first!” 

Her yellow eyes twinkled in glee. She raised herself completely into the rock, showing off her long serpentine tail and four arms, keeping herself balanced on her four hands. She puffed her chest and spoke much more broadly than before. “You stand before Azshara, human. Queen of all the seas and ruler of the deep blue.” She held one of her hands out to Jaina as if to kiss it, which Jaina did with a giggle. Azshara settles more comfortable on the boulder and smiled fondly at her. “And you, Jaina Proudmoore, queen of the beach and all the sand. How do you do?”

“I’m no ruler of the beach. I prefer the water very much more, thank you.”

She lifted her dress as she stepped into the water up to her calves and shivered at the coldness of it. Then she felt a slimy clawed hand on her back and the next thing she knew, she was underwater. Jaina scrambled to get back up, gasping and wiping her hair from her face. The wide grin of Azshara greeted her immediately, who was already back in the water with her. Jaina gave her a playful frown and splashed her in the face but she didn’t seem fazed.

“You’ll ruin my dress! This was expensive, I’ll have you know!” Jaina crossed her arms in feign anger. Azshara swam around her, swirling her dress around her and laughing. “You play too much for a princess.”

They played in the water for quite some time, so much that Jaina even forgot what she snuck out for. She made Azshara promise that they’d see each other again but the naga had a sad expression. 

“When I’m much older, I promise that we’ll see each other again. This was the only time I could come here, and I’m not supposed to be here. But once I’m queen I’ll be able to do whatever I want. I promise then that we’ll see each other again, Jaina.” 

When Jaina returned home she changed nightdresses and thought about everything Azshara had said. A promise was a promise, but she doubted she’d see her ever again. Still, the memory of having met her was something Jaina would cling to forever.


End file.
